Bridge foot piece for stringed musical instruments



Dec. 28, 1937. J JOHANNESSEN 2,103,675

BRIDGE FOOT PIECE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 10, 1935 ,NVENTOR fly. 6 J[ m Jo/za nnessen ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES BRIDGE FOOT PIECE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Jim Johannessen, Bergen, Norway, assigncr to Gylden Tone A/S. Bergen, Norway, a jointstock company of Norway Application January 10, 1935, Serial No. 1,231 In Norway March 6, 1934 2 Claims.

This invention relates to stringed or bow instruments (in which class the principal member is the violin), in which an intermediate layer is interposed between the bridge and the belly of the instrument, for the purpose of making the tone purer and of giving it greater fullness and variety.

The known interposed layers of this kind are dependent on the provision of metal bridges of special shape or the layer is so thick that it considerably increases the distance of the bridge from the belly and thereby acts on the timbre and the pitch (Tonho'ne). To cut down and adapt the bridge after the intermediate layer has been placed in position is an unsuitable expedient which should not be adopted in practice.

According to the invention, without altering the existing bridge an intermediate layer is interposed, which is so thin that the distance of the bridge from the belly of the instrument and the disposition of the strings with respect to it remain substantially unaltered.

The accompanying drawing shows constructional examples of the invention,

Fig. 1 being a cross-section through the belly of the instrument with the bridge and the intermediate layer and Figs. 2 and 3 showing different constructional forms of the intermediate layer.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l of a further modification,

Fig. 5 is a top view of the construction of Figures 1 and 2, and also dotted at the right a utilization of the article of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a top View of the matter of Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 4, between the two feet 3 of the bridge I and the belly 2 an intermediate layer 4 of a material which is particularly adapted to the timbre of the instrument in each case is interposed. The thickness of the intermediate layer is made such that the position of the bridge as regards the strings and its distance from and all other relations to the instrument belly remain substantially unaltered.

The intermediate layer may consist of a thin hardened steel plate, a thin plate of lignum vitae or of special bound wood fibre pulp, which forms a thin layer between the bridge and the belly of the instrument.

It will be apparent from the views that the foot pieces are of a shape conforming to the contours of the bottom faces of the bridge feet to be rested thereon, and of a sufiiciently greater area to present a portion projecting beyond the engaged parts of the feet at all sides.

The intermediate layers according to Figs. 2 and 3 consist of two plates 1, I and 8, 8 respectively which are connected by a narrow part 9 and [B respectively. The plates 4, 4, l, l, and 8, may be of equal areas and similar contours.

In the construction of Fig. 3, however, the plate 8 is made somewhat longer than the plate 8 for enabling the intermediate layer to be adapted to bridges of different widths, parts 8 and I!) correspond to the parts 1 and 9, and being of the same proportions. One foot of the bridge being adjusted on the plate 8, symmetrically, the other foot of the bridge is disposed on the plate 8', the excess material in the latter extending beyond the outer side of the superposed foot being cut ofi.

It will be appreciated that extreme lightness is essential in such devices, yet it is sought to transmit to a larger area of the belly than engaged by the bridge feet the vibrations of the strings supported by the bridge. For this reason, the extremely narrow connecting bar in the device enables the use of two foot rests connected definitely in proper relation and without liability of loss and also effects transmission of vibrations to the intervening material of the belly without involving objectionable mass and weight.

Figure 5 of the drawing may represent a top view of this article with an instrument belly and bridge after the plate 8 has been trimmed, its adaptability to wider bridges being indicated in dotted lines at the right.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. A foot piece for the uses described consisting of a fiat extremely thin plate of hard sheet material of highly resonant quality in the shape of spaced apart foot plates and a narrow connecting bar, whereby all may lie in continuous bearing contact with the face of the belly of a musical instrument and whereby said plates may receive the respective feet of a bridge; whereby the vibrations transmitted through the bridge will be imparted to an area of the belly greater than that of the superposed bridge piece.

2. A foot piece for the uses described consisting of a flat foot plate of thin sheet material of greater area than a bridge foot and corresponding in form to one foot of a bridge whereby when said plate is inserted symmetrically between one bridge foot and an instrument belly, portions of the plate will project over the belly from the foot on all sides; a second fiat foot plate spaced from the first, and an integral fiat connecting bar much narrower than the plates, one of the plates being much longer than the other, whereby the feet of bridges of various lengths may be engaged thereon and the excess outer part of the longer plate removed.

JIM JOHANNESSEN. 

